5f HOURS WITH NATURE. 



a moment of need and perturbation ! Without, however, 

 wasting a moment's time to ascertain the cause of the 

 accident, he bade me fetch some turmeric paste from 

 the kitchen, a commission which I executed with the 

 greatest alacrity and quickness. Having carefully washed 

 the wounds, Janardan applied some of this paste over, 

 It was arranged between ourselves that the bird should 

 remain with him in his hut. I was extremely delighted 

 to find the next morning that the patient was very much 

 better, it took food from Janardan's hand, but refused it 

 when offered by me. Janardan said it was yet angry with 

 me, and I verily believed he was right. Gradually its 

 avian heart relented towards its unintentional tormentor, 

 and it became as familiar and confiding to me as it 

 had already been to Janardan. In the meantime he had 

 related with much good sense, the story of the accident 

 and of my concern and solicitude for the recovery of the 

 bird, to my mother, who gravely admonished me not to 

 behave in that manner again, and to be always kind and 

 considerate towards animals. The pigeon having now 

 completely recovered, it was installed as a member of our 

 family, and in a short time learnt many tricks and perfor- 

 mances under the able and skillful tuition of Janardan, 

 It constantly afforded much amusement to the visitors 

 to the house ; and I remember it being declared by com- 

 petent observers that it could distinguish acquaintances 

 from strangers, when the company were small. It had 

 learnt that my mother was the mistress of the house, 

 and that all appeals for food and drink should be made to- 



